Novak Slams His Source On CIA Agent

Columnist: Richard Armitage's ID Of Valerie Plame Wasn't Done Casually

(CBS/AP)  Syndicated columnist Robert Novak has turned on his own source. Novak says Richard Armitage, the man who told him Valerie Plame was a CIA agent, didn't disclose her identity in a casual manner, and instead urged him to make her a column item.

"Armitage did not slip me this information as idle chitchat, as he now suggests. He made clear he considered it especially suited for my column," Novak wrote.

Armitage gave a different version of events to CBS News. The former Bush administration deputy secretary of state said he disclosed Plame's CIA status in response to an "offhand question" from Novak.

"I didn't put any big import on it and I just answered and it was the last question we had," Armitage said.

Plame and her husband, Joseph Wilson, filed a lawsuit in July against Vice President Cheney, Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Karl Rove, claiming that they had violated her constitutional rights and discredited her by disclosing that she was an undercover CIA operative.

Armitage was added to the lawsuit on Wednesday, following news that Armitage was Novak's initial source for a column he wrote identifying Plame as a CIA officer.

Armitage told CBS News correspondent David Martin last week that he was sorry for what he characterized as an inadvertent disclosure.

"I feel terrible every day," Armitage said, "I think I let down the President. I let down the Secretary of State. I let down my department, my family, and I also let down Mr. and Mrs. Wilson."

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has investigated the leak of Plame's name for years and has not charged anyone with intentionally leaking her identity. Libby is under indictment; he's charged with lying to authorities about his conversations with reporters.

[Atlantic2752]

Richard Armitage should be charged with Treason. His trial should begin 1 week before the mid-term elections. Then see how the Republican Party does. This is thew worst administration in this nation's history. Even worse than the criminal Nixon administration.

[mjkcbs1]

Wait a minute. Wasn't it President Bush who (like O.J.?) swore to get to the bottom of this and prosecute the culprit? Have we completely forgotten the whole affair? It's like Tony Snow ("Fair and Balanced"), following the Senate report on the Iraq-Al Quaida relationship, saying it was old news and we should get on with our fight against terrorism. We know we're in trouble when major events - lieing to the American people and committing an act of treason, for example - are "old news" if they happened a few years ago. It's one thing to be an American citizen blissed out with amnesia; it's quite another to have our leaders feeding our addiction. But isn't this just what our founding fathers warned us about? Aren't we supposed to stay vigilant for abuses of power by our own government? Forgive me, I know it's hard to do that when you're so busy shopping. But, after all, that's what President Bush told us to do when the towers came down, right? Shop til you drop, America.

[tas088]

Just more of the same from the sitting president and staff. Nixon may have invented 'dirty tricks' but the GW Bush administration has taken them to new heights.

America can do better...

[rickjones22]

Novak's earlier version of this conversation is more in line with what Armitage now says. In an October 1, 2003 column, Novak said, "It was an offhand revelation by this official who is no partisan gunslinger." So, which is it, Bob?

And CBS (and most other news media), why are you not reporting Novak's apparent contradiction as part of this story?

[mjv2944]

This administration makes Nixon look like a bunch of pikers. Corruption is boundless. So much for the so called patriotic right wing. Novak needs to retire. Armitage needs to go to jail. We have accumulated more depth under these so called conservatives than we ever did when the liberals were in power, in fact if I remember right, Clinton left a surplus when he left office. VOTE THEM OUT, America.

[ger12342]

I suppose comparing Bush to Nixon is now a talking point? Can anyone here think for themselves or does everyone always have to tow the party line?

[stevyz1]

armitage is a traitor...he should be put in jail for his actions...but even though he admitted to it i know it was *** cheney who orchistrated the leak..armitige is just a scapegoat...but no less nausiating

[thgdriver]

Sorry folks, every administration has it's own Watergate. Did you all forget about the Whitewater scandal? The only difference I can see is Nixon failed to cover his a--. The Clinton's were very good at that! The best thing that can happen for the Republicans now is for the Democrats to run Senator Clinton for the Preidency. If they do, and I hope they do, it will be four more years for the GOP. There is an old song thet fits her well on Iraq It goes " first you say you do and then you don't, and then you say you will, and then you don't your undecided now so what are you going to do?"!!

[rinfo-2009]

What of Armitage! The whole Bush administration is a bunch of liers in Palme's case. American people has no where to boast of their moral values.

[chinadepot-2009]

The Leakers of the CIA agent's identy, and the reporters that participated in this debacle should all go to prison. What were they thinking?
It's just more dirty tricks from the Republican party -- anything to stay in power and discourage dissenters. It is time to clean house in Washington!
Walter Barrett

[ger12342]

The difference between Clinton and Nixon is that Clinton actually got impeached. I guess we will see how Bush compares to Clinton and Nixon after the mid-term elections.

[scottshipm]

You have to read deeper to understand what really went on here - It wasnt the Republicans or the Administration that is implicated in this whole debacle. It is the press and justice. Fitzgerald knew who the leaker was - Novak told him. Fitzgerald (for orchestrating a silent inventigation that withheld truth), the press (for its obvious bias and now tight lipped covereage of its own misrepresentation for 2.5 years), Armitage (a democratic supporter, in a republican administration), Woodward (for witholding evidence), Wilson (for fabricating an investigation in Niger which has twice been proven false by US intelligence and once by Brittish intelligence), Valerie Plame (for sending her husband)and many others kept this thing going as long as it tarnished the Bush Administration and the Iraq war. Politics as usual. Its yet another account of how Democrats do nothing for the good of the country except to sling mud at republicans with underhanded tactics.

[bcroner]

That's what I suspected. Armitage's story smelled as soon as I first glimpsed at it. Those jerks are so dirty.

[livtwoski2]

This should be a non-partisan issue. The FACT is that a CIA Agent in a covert and sensitive position was outed. Democrat/Republican/Little Green Men should be held accountable. There is NO justification for how Libby allegedly acted, what Armitage did, and for Novak's efforts that clearly put himself & his interest(s) above the security of our country.

That some here justify this debacle by referencing WhiteWater is absurd on it's face. That's the argument of a child.

Those in defense of outing Plame, outside of partisan hackery or blaming Wilson/Plame (which is absurd..afteral, did Plame ask to be outted?-and would that make it right-absurd)...how can the outting be justified? It can't & I think most reasonable people know that....when they can step outside of their partisan hack shoes.

[nynative1340]

The Armitage story smelled rotten from the start. Bush is a liar and it stands to reason that he is surrounded by liars. But what would you expect from a man who was an alcoholic for most of his adult life.

Politics is a cut-throat business and these greedy b******s will do absolutely anything to stay in power.

Case in point: my rep, Duncan Hunter, is the poster child for term limits. He's still there after more than 20 years, doing nothing, representing himself and his best interests instead of the best interests of his constituents. He hasn't done very well for the military man/woman either, although he's been on the Armed Forces committee for years.

[nynative1340]

%u2026in addition, Novak should be hung by his cahones, but he doesn%u2019t have any. He%u2019s just another opportunist who lacked the courage to do the %u2018right%u2019 thing and not reveal %u2018sensitive%u2019 information about the CIA personnel, not to mention he AIDED AND ABETTED ARMITAGE BREAKING THE LAW!

[nynative1340]

Well, now I know not to use MS Word to compose my comments...

[dakotanews]

If it is against the law to reveal the identity of CIA agents, how come no charges have been brought against Novak? He is the one responsible for publicizing the fact that Valerie Plame was an agent for the CIA. I think he should be held legally accountable for his arrogant stupidity.

[clestes-2009]

Don't be gulliable people! Of course Bush and or Cheney blew the cover of Valerie Plame and Bush is paying off Armitage for this. The only reason Armitage is coming out now is because Bush/Cheney are scared they are going to lose Congress come Nov and they want to cover Bush's *** incase impeachment procedings are brought up for lying.

I knew that as soon as I heard this silly story. Don't believe a word of it. This peon never knew who she was and sure as hell didn't say anything if he did. He knows *** well it is a federal offense to blow an agents cover. Someone much higher up than Armitage engineered this boo-boo and figured they could get away with it.

Bush pulled the same stunt with Geo Tenent. When no WMD were found he paid Tenent off with a medal of freedom and a big thank you because Tenent and the CIA took the fall for the lack of finding any WMD. Tenent was willing to say, "Our intelligence was faulty" get the medal and then retire.

CIA agents have said all along, they warned Bush about the lack of evidence about WMD, so did the UN. Bush just ignored everyone and now is caught in the middle of a disaster everyone told him would happen.

[drgoodwin12]

Hey scottshipm not so fast with your misquoted half truths.First off Wilson was sent on a mission by the C.I.A. to investigate the claims of Iraq buying uranium nitcrate as corroborated by the released MI5 intelligence that also claimed the whole story of Iraq buying uranium was baseless and politically motivated.Fitzgerald is not finished with his case,so who knows who will be indicted.An Armitrage was a non partisan diplomat that was appointed by the Bush adminstration as deputy secratary of state.The press only reported what it new after Novaks collumn was published. Novack by the way is a hard line republican true to his party regardless of if they are right or wrong.Sounds a little to cozy here, Novack,Armitrage(Powells surrogate)Libby,Rove, and Cheneys own letters to let them have it(discredit Joe Wilsons story).I am an independent and I smell a rat all the way to the White House. take the time to read Richard Clarkes book "Against all Enemies" and paul O Neils "the Price of Loyalty" neither have been disputed long enough for the ones who did dispute them to do an about face and reaffrim what both books say.

[lisadudley]

Why did Novak reveal information that he knew was illegal to reveal? Did he play right into the hands of a President he supported? What ever happened to an independant press in a free democracy? I grieve for this country and our consitution.

[nynative1340]

Let's not forget that Bush and his cabinet were planning this war ten days after he took office. He was briefed in Aug 2001 that an al queida attack was immenent but did nothing. Sadly, 9/11 was the excuse he needed to go to war with the wrong country/people, and the Valerie Plame affair was just another distraction.

Armitage should face a court hearing - and be punished appropriatly for revealing Plame as a CIA Agent.

If it can be proved that this was done with Bush and/or Cheneys knowledge, or if they became aware of it and held back on revealing Armitage as the source, then they should also be punished.

[r_harbison]

Clearly Novak is saying that he was encouraged by Armitage to publish the name of a covert CIA agent in his column, for political reasons. Novak should be charged with treason, and Armitage should be charged with violation of secrecy acts and treason as well. The US Attorney General's selective prosecution of crimes have further politicized our legal system allowing political appointees to escape prosecution for what are very clearly crimes, committed for their Party's political agendas.

[getcentered]

I pretty much agree with every comment bellow. It's amazing actually! The CIA leak case I thought might have been forgotten.

Our intelligence gathering systems are one of the most important tools in overcoming terrorism. To politicize CIA agents and reveal names makes the tool useless.
Punish all involved.
Politics weakens the usefulness of intelligence!

[averra-2009]

What I still don't get is why Rove, who confirmed Plame's CIA position to Novak after he heard it from others, wasn't prosecuted. As a therapist, if someone said to me "I know so-and-so's your client," it would be a total violation of my client's confidentiality to say "Ah! You're right! And since you've already heard it elsewhere, it's okay for me to confirm that." I can't imagine why the CIA standards would be any less than those for therapists and other professionals.

[roydewitt]

Mr. Novak is a smug republican worm who for years took pleasure in his connections with top republican administration staffers. Now like a typical crook being caught in his evil doing, squeals like a trapped pig. If our so-called "rule of law" worked, Rove, Armitage, Novak, Cheney, and Bush would be indicted with making a CIA agent's name public. Mr. Cheney wrongly argues that he can declassify any information he pleases, even an agent's name. All the president's men are sneaky cowards. Unfortunately, there are no republicans with the backbone to defend our laws and seek justice against this evil administration.

[evatt1]

You guys are all crazy!! This was a dem smear Bush campaigh from the beginning. Lets have some hearings and run Shumer up for questioning. Oops I forgot this was a get Bush Chaney deal

[debbiemeadow]

"You guys are all crazy!! This was a dem smear Bush campaigh from the beginning. Lets have some hearings and run Shumer up for questioning. Oops I forgot this was a get Bush Chaney deal"

Are you saying NOVAK was in on a democrat smear campaign?? ROFL!!! NOVAK is more republican than...well...than Bush and Chaney!! How funny! That's NeoConservative psychobabble

[generey]

She was serving her country and this is what she got? Wake up people; she could have been killed over this had somebody not pulled her out. Somebody needs to answer for this.

[darjon38]

Why is it that news media (Novak) think they have a "duty" to report everything they hear, whether it is top secret or just gossip? Is getting the "scoop" so obscenely important that they don't consider national security? Did Novak have to report the "plame game" before he considered the consequences, or do news reporters think they are above the laws of morality, decency and common sense?

[thompaine2]

The critical element to charging anyone with blowing Plame's cover is whether they KNEW she had classified/covert status. Armitage claims he doesn't remember seeing the symbol for "secret" at the start of the paragraph containing the information about Plame. It is very difficult to believe that a man as smart and accomplished as Armitage could overlook or forget something so important. And lying about the circumstances in which he revealed the information can reasonably be regarded as showing consciousness of guilt.

[agnim]

This clear and unambiguous breaking of the law is getting stinker by the moment as the canaries sing their arses off.

The BIG QUESTION is, "Why the hell isn't Novak being persecuted and prosecuted? Did he and his evil editor not know (or should have known) that leaking the identity of an agent is illegal?

That cowardly and treasonous traitor, Novak, did nothing to plug the leak, and mitigate the threat to the nation's security!"

Why are these *** getting away with so much serious high crimes and misdemeanors, while a guy couldn%u2019t even lie about PRIVATE ***, which did not threaten the nation and was of concern only to the families of those involved?

Are Americans still so freaking asleep?
One would have thought that 911 woke up Americans for them to attend to things that are of clear and present DANGER to our existence, no?

[buddyandmom]

Novak says "He made clear he considered it especially suited for my column". Come on ! So Novak allows others to tell him what should be in his column ? Does he really think we are that dumb to swallow this line of *** ? It wouldn't surprise me that he does. And why not ? Our president sure does ! A suggestion for Novak's column tomorrow: I resign !